The fact cannot be denied, Heart disease stands as one of the leading health risk factors faced by men. As per AHA (American Heart Association), on an average 1 in every 3 adult men has heart disease.
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For the uninformed, heart disease is basically an umbrella term, which includes but not limited to –
- Heart Failure
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Arrhythmias
- Angina
- Other Heart Infections, Irregularities As Well As Birth Defects
While it seems that something so serious like a heart disease may have certainly warning signs, however; it’s perfectly possible to develop heart disease without knowing it. Dear men, know the early warning signs and the risk factors of heart disease in order to prevent the fatal issues.
Risk factors for heart disease in men
Yes, men are at high risk of developing heart diseases. Overweight or obesity and smoking habit may cause the blood vessel to narrow. Needless to say; narrowed blood vessels stand as the precursor to a number of types of heart disease.
Other contributory factors may include –
- Diet high in saturated fat
- Alcohol abuse
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
Moreover; a cluster of other contributory risk factors may also signal heart disease. For instance in men the risk of heart disease increases significantly if they have diabetes and high blood pressure.
Let’s take a look at the early signs of heart disease
Let’s face the fact; the very first and obvious sign of heart disease is often a heart attack however; there are other a number of important signs, which can help you in recognizing the problems beforehand.
Keep in mind; in the early stages a few symptoms which may seem like just irritations may come and go and you should not take the annoyances lightly.
For example, you may have heart arrhythmias, which can cause:
- Difficulty in catching your breath after moderate physical exertion such as climbing the staircase or after taking a brisk walk
- Discomfort in the chest area that lasts for about 30 minutes or so
- Unexplained pain in neck, jaw or upper torso
- Dizziness
Heart disease involving the blood vessels may signal with –
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Extreme fatigue
- Irregular heartbeat
The above symptoms are clear warning signs that your blood vessel has narrowed. Narrowing of the blood vessel can be caused due to plague build up. It thus makes it rather difficult for your heart in circulating the oxygenated blood throughout the body.
Alongside the above symptoms, heart diseases can also be caused by certain type of heart infection which may cause dry cough, fever and even skin problems.
Common signs and symptoms of stroke and heart attack –
Medically speaking; a heart attack typically occurs when heart disease hinders the flow of blood to the heart muscle. The most common signs of heart attack in men may include –
- Chest pain and discomfort
- Chest pressure
- Chest squeezing
While it was believed that chest pain was the only symptom of heart attack, but it’s absolutely possible to have chest discomfort that is not acutely painful. The chest discomfort may also be present in back, neck, arms, jaw or abdomen.
Stroke symptoms may include weakness, numbness in one side of the body. The numbness may also occur in arms, face, neck or legs.
Other stroke symptoms may also include –
- Confusion or difficulty in speaking
- Loss of coordination
- changes in vision
- intense headache
Yes, many of these symptoms may occur suddenly without giving you any warning sign. Call for medical help if you experience these symptoms. Talk to an experienced cardiologist in Kolkata to stay safe and keep your heart health protected.